Linnett, John Wilfred (1913-1975)

English chemist who studied molecular force fields, spectroscopy, the measurement of burning velocities in gases, the recombination of atoms at surfaces, and theories of chemical bonding.

Linnett was born in Coventry and studied at Oxford. His career was spent at Oxford and then at Cambridge, where he became professor in 1965 and was vice chancellor 1973-75.

His work on explosion limits concentrated on the reaction between carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and oxygen, which led to the study of atomic reactions on surfaces of metal alloys.

In 1960 Linnett originated a modification to the octet rule concerning valency electrons. He proposed that the octet should be considered as a double quartet of electrons rather than as four pairs, and in this way he was able to explain the stability of ‘odd electron’ molecules such as nitric oxide.

Linnett published more than 250 scientific papers and two textbooks, in one of which (Wave Mechanics and Valency) he explains the processes and techniques involved in the application of wave mechanics to the electronic structures of atoms and molecules.